Self-cleaning belt roller



y 1959 A. w. CALDER 2,886,169

SELF-CLEANING BELT ROLLER Filed Feb. 8, '1957 I0 I 20 I? :20 m -Jy .4

\ 1 v v v V (I v r NVEP ITOR:

ALEXANDER W. CALDER I I BY I ATTORNEY United States Patent SELF-CLEANING BELT ROLLER Application February 8, 1957, Serial No. 639,132 8 Claims. (Cl. 198- 229) My invention relates to a belt roller .and more particularly to a self-cleaning scroll type end belt roller having additional means for keeping the belt clean.

As is well known it has become common practice to provide the end belt rollers of a belt conveyorsystem with an extending scroll, such as a constant diameter screw thread, for removing the dirt which accumulates on the inside ofthe belt. Such rollers are known as selfcleaning rollers as the engagement of the inner surface ofthe traveling belt with the outer edge of the scroll causes the dirt on the inner surface of the belt to be loosened and then be pushed toward an outer edge of the belt so that the loosened dirt drops over the side of the belt. In order to obtain better cleaning action it is common practice to reverse the pitch of the scroll substantially centrally of the belt so that dirt is pushed off at each side of the belt. In many low height installations where considerable belt dirt is encountered, such as in the conveyors forcoal mining operations, the dirt after dropping over the sides of the belt accumulates on a surface below until it reaches the lower strand of belting so that the scroll is no longer able to discharge the loose dirt over the sides of the belt.

Accordingly one object of my invention is to provide a new and improved belt roller having means movable therewithadjacent at least one side of a conveyor belt for preventing the accumulation of dirt adjacent such side ofthe belt.

A more particular object of my invention is to provide a new and improved self-cleaning belt roller having spaced blades extending outwardly from the shaft of theroller for engaging loose dirt to prevent the dirt from reaching a height which would interfere with the operation of the self-cleaning means.

Still another object of my. inventionis to provide a new and improved belt roller having an extending scroll mounted on a shaft for cleaning purposes which scroll has at least one of its outer ends formed to extend generally radially from the shaft.

A specific object ofmy invention is to provide a new and improved belt roller having an extending cleaning scroll mounted on a shaft and generally radially extending blades secured to the shaft adjacent the ends of the scroll to prevent dirt accumulations below the roller from interfering with the cleaning operation of the scroll. These and other objects of my invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof when taken in conjunction with the following. drawings in which: a

Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a selfcleaning belt roller constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention having part of the belting cooperable therewith and support therefor broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a belt roller as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the belt roller shown in Figure 2, taken substantially along the line III-III thereof;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of one end of another form of belt roller, constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; and

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the belt roller shown in Figure 4, taken substantially along the line VV thereof.

Referring to the Figures 1-3 it will be noted that a belt roller constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention comprises an elongated shaft 2 of any suitable configuration having its ends rotatably supported in any suitable manner such as by being received within spaced supports 4 forming a part of or secured to a frame, not shown, of a suitable machine or support. As is: customary in belt rollers of the self-cleaning type a cleaning scroll 6 is rigidly secured to the shaft 2 in any well known manner. Such cleaning scrolls are well known in the art, and, in general,1 comprise a suitable elongated spiral blade having a spiral outer edge 8 spaced uniformly from the center of the shaft 2 to permit a reversedly bent belt 10 to pass thereover. The belt 10 may be formed from any suitable pliable material as is well known in the art.

As shown the direction or pitch of the scroll. 6 is reversed substantially at the mid-point of the shaft 2 to form a herringbone scroll which provides: an equal and opposite thrust to the belt 10. Such a construction of the scroll 6 causes dirt on the inner surface of the belt 10 to be loosened and moved laterally .of the belt 10 to each of the outer edges of the belt 10. Thereafter i be noted that the outer convolution 20 at each end of the scroll 6 is spaced inwardly from the support 4 adjacent thereto, to provide a space therebetween in each of whicha blade 12 is located. It is to be realized that the shaft 2, scroll 6, and the blades 12 may be made from a wide variety of materials depending upon the service conditions of a particular installation. In the mining industries it is common to make such shafts and scrolls from ferrous alloys in which event the blade 12 is also formed from a suitable ferrous alloy so as to be capable of being readily secured to the shaft 2, in any suitable manner such as by being welded, or bolted thereto.

As shown, each of the blades 12 is welded to the shaft 2 and is rectangular in form with its elongated axis extending substantially radially outwardly from the shaft 2. In order to prevent any accumulation of dirt to a detrimental height adjacent each side of the belt 10, each of the blades 12 is of a length to extend outwardly beyond the outer surface of the belt 10. With such structure each revolution of the shaft 2 will cause a corresponding rotation of the blades 12 so that anydirt which may lie in the paths of the blades 12 is engaged by the ends of the blades 12 and pushed longitudinally along the sides of the belt 10. Furthendue to the generally employedrevolutions per minute of end rollers of this type suflicient' velocity is given to the dirt so as to distribute the dirt 7 over a large area, whereby a substantial time interval be tween dirt removal operations may be obtained. Al-' though, as shown, the blades 12 are angularly displaced from each other with respect to the shaft 2, for the purposes of my invention they may be longitudinally in alignment with each other.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate one end of an embodiment of my invention which is similar to that previously described.

Accordingly, like parts have been identified by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment of my invention a blade 12' is provided which has a portion extending outwardly from the shaft 2 in the same manner as the blades 12 previously described. The blade 12 is pro vided with an intermediate portion 17 which is secured to the adjacent outer convolution 20 of the scroll 6 in any suitable manner such as by being welded thereto as shown. Inasmuch as the scroll 6 is rigidly secured to the shaft 2, the blade 12' need only be secured to the scroll 6. If desired, however, the blade 12 may additionally be secured to the shaft 2 in any suitable manner such as by means of a weld 19 as shown. Also if desired, the intermediate portion 17 of the blade 12 may be arcuate in form to engage the outer surface of the shaft 2. Obviously both ends of the scroll 6 may be so formed and their operation is identical to that of the blades 12, previously described.

Having described preferred embodiments of my invention in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be realized that such embodiments are illustrative only and that modifications thereof may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of my invention. Accordingly, it is respectfully requested that my invention be interpreted as broadly as possible and as limited only by the prior art.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A belt roller comprising, an elongated shaft having spaced portions adapted to be supported to permit rotational movement of said shaft, scroll means secured to said shaft to extend longitudinally thereof between said spaced portions with at least one end thereof being spaced from said portion of said shaft adjacent thereto, means secured to said shaft between said one end of said scroll means and said adjacent portion of said shaft, and said last mentioned means comprising a separate paddle extending outwardly beyond said shaft a greater distance than said scroll means extends to engage dirt accumulations adjacent said one end of said scroll means.

2. A belt roller comprising, an elongated shaft having spaced portions adapted to be supported to permit rotational movement of said shaft, scroll means secured to said shaft to extend longitudinally thereof between said spaced shaft portions with the ends thereof being spaced inwardly from said shaft portions, respectively, and means secured to said shaft between each end of said scroll means and said shaft portions, respectively, and each of said last mentioned means comprising a separate paddle extending outwardly beyond said shaft a greater distance than said scroll means extends to engage dirt accumulations adjacent said ends of said scroll means.

3. A self-cleaning roller for a conveyor belt comprising a rotatable body having axially extending peripheral belt cleaning means mounted thereon for moving dirt in a direction generally axially of said body, at least one end of said belt cleaning means being spaced inwardly from an outer end of the rotative axis of said body, dirt engaging means located axially outwardly adjacent said one end of said belt cleaning means and rotatable with said body for distributing the dirt discharged from said cleaning means laterally of said axis of said body, and said dirt engaging means extending outwardly from said body beyond the outer periphery of said cleaning means.

4. A self-cleaning roller for a conveyor belt comprising a rotatable body having axially extending peripheral belt cleaning means mounted thereon for moving dirt in a direction generally axially of said body, at least one end of said belt cleaning means being spaced inwardly from an outer end of the rotative axis of said body, paddle means located axially outwardly adjacent said one end of said belt cleaning means and rotatable with said body for engaging the dirt discharged from said cleaning means and distributing the dirt laterally of said axis of said body, and said paddle means extending outwardly from said body beyond the outer periphery of said cleaning means.

5. A self-cleaning roller for a conveyor belt comprising a rotatable body having axially extending peripheral belt cleaning means mounted thereon for moving dirt in a direction generally axially of said body, at least one end of said belt cleaning means being spaced inwardly from an outer end of the rotative axis of said body, paddle means located axially outwardly adjacent said one end of said belt cleaning means and rotatable with said body for engaging the dirt discharged from said cleaning means and distributing the dirt laterally of said axis of said body, and said paddle means extending outwardly from said body beyond the outer periphery of said cleaning means and being formed integral with said peripheral belt cleaning means.

. 6. A self-cleaning roller for a conveyor belt comprising, a rotatable body having axially extending peripheral belt cleaning means mounted axially intermediately thereon for moving dirt in a direction generally axially of said body, dirt engaging means located axially outwardly adjacent the outer ends of said belt cleaning means, respectively, and rotatable with said body for distributing the dirt discharged from said cleaning means laterally of the rotative axis of said body, and said dirt engaging means extending outwardly from said body beyond the outer periphery of said cleaning means.

7. A belt roller comprising, an elongated shaft having spaced portions adapted to be supported to permit rotational movement of said shaft, belt cleaning means secured to said shaft to extend longitudinally thereof between said spaced portions with at least one end thereof being spaced from said portion of said shaft adjacent thereto, paddle means rigidly supported with respect to said shaft between said one end of said scroll means and said adjacent portion of said shaft, and said paddle means extending outwardly beyond said shaft a greater distance than said belt cleaning means extends to engage dirt accumulations adjacent said one end of said belt cleaning means.

8. A belt roller comprising, an elongated shaft having spaced portions adapted to be supported to permit rotational movement of said shaft, belt cleaning means secured to said shaft to extend longitudinally thereof between said spaced shaft portions with the ends thereof being spaced inwardly from said shaft portions, respectively, paddle means rigidly supported with respect to said shaft between each end of said scroll means and said shaft portions, respectively, and each of said paddle means extending outwardly beyond said shaft a greater distance than said belt cleaning means extends to engage dirt accumulations adjacent said ends of said scroll means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 897,955 Barrett et al. Sept. 8, 1908 1,779,686 Alver Oct. 28, 1930 1,780,481 Hale Nov. 4, 1930 1,906,395 Meeks May 2, 1933 

